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The writer Thomas Hardy's birthplace in 1840, where he grew up with his parents and sisters and where he wrote Under the Greenwood Tree and Far from the Madding Crowd.
Note - entry is sometimes by timed ticket.
Image: Chris Downer via Wikimedia Commons
Nr Dorchester
Ightham Mote is a picturesque medieval-Tudor moated manor house, once a much-loved family home, wonderfully preserved and restored, with charming gardens and located in a lovely part of Kent. Ightham Mote also boasts Britain’s only Grade I listed dog kennel. And you probably need to know that Ightham is pronounced 'item'.
Ivy Hatch
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, built a small town house here in 1778, along with the chapel next door. Wesley lived in the house for the last eleven winters of his life, when not touring to visit and preach to his Methodist societies round the country. The house is open to the public and contains many of John Wesley's belongings. The Chapel is also open - though not on Sundays - and there is a museum in the crypt that contains many fascinating objects - including (apparently) John Wesley's death mask and hair...
The Kilns is the former home of CS Lewis, novelist and academic, best known for his Chronicles of Narnia series. Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898, served in the army during WW1 and held senior posts at both Oxford and Cambridge universities. The Kilns was his home from 1930 until his death in 1963. It is owned and managed by the CS Lewis Foundation, which appears to be based in the USA. Tours are available but must be booked.
Oxford
This was the home the Bankes family created after their castle at Corfe was destroyed in the Civil War. Designed to resemble an Italian palace, it is packed with treasures including works of art by Rubens Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Titian and Brueghel. The house also contains what is said to be the largest collection of Egyptian relics in the UK. Outside, there is a 3,500 acre estate with walks, plus extensive gardens, including a Japanese garden and Victorian kitchen garden.
Note: Entrance to house often on a timed visit; also, volunteer shortages mean that sometimes only a small part of the house is open - essential to check beforehand.
Leith Hill Place dates from around 1600, but was completely refurbished in Palladian style in about 1760 by a Bristol merchant, Richard Hull – who built nearby Leith Hill Tower. It was bought in 1847 by Josiah Wedgwood III, grandson of the Josiah Wedgwood who founded the Wedgwood pottery business. Josiah was married to Caroline Darwin, brother of Charles, author of ‘On the Origin of Species’. One of their daughters, Margaret, married Arthur Vaughan Williams, but he died young and Margaret moved back to Leith Hill Place with her three young children. Her youngest son, Ralph, (‘Rafe’) went on to become the well-known English composer whose works include the Lark Ascending. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) inherited the property from his brother in 1944 and gave it to the National Trust. It was subsequently leased by other members of the Wedgwood family, became a boarding house for a nearby college and then opened to the public in 2013.
It has a relaxed, informal, atmosphere - unlike many other National Trust properties.
Dorking
Writer Thomas Hardy's house from 1885 until his death in 1928. It was here that he wrote Tess of the d'Urbervilles and the Mayor of Casterbridge. The house was designed by Hardy himself - he was a trained architect - and later extended. Hardy also laid out the gardens.
Dorchester
A grand Georgian house set in acres of parkland with formal gardens and an interior that includes works by Van Dyck and Gainsborough. George Baillie, an officer in William of Orange's army, commissioned William Adams to build the house in 1725. Only two wings were finished. The work was completed in 1778 by William's son, Robert, who linked the two wings and finished everything off in a sort of castle style. Mellerstain is said to be one of Scotland's finest stately homes.
Gordon
Hero or villain, Oliver Cromwell was one of those people who make a brief appearance on history’s stage and leave their mark. So his house has got to be worth a visit. Cromwell inherited the lease from a rich uncle, moved there with his family in 1636 and they stayed for 10 years - though Cromwell himself would have been away for much of that time. It stands opposite a small green, next to St Mary’s Church. It has been a pub, vicarage and at time of writing is Ely’s Tourist Information Centre. A tour of the house includes the fascinating kitchen and Cromwell's study.
And - it is meant to be haunted...wooooo!
Ely
Dating from the 14th century, Penshurst Place has been the ancestral home of the Sidney family since 1552 and is partly open to the public.
Visitors can see the medieval baronial hall, the Solar, Queen Elizabeth Room and Long Gallery, which contain a collection of family portraits from across the centuries, antique furniture and tapestries. Outside, there are 11 acres of formal walled gardens, first laid out in the 1560s and full of fruit trees, colourful borders and water features. For the younger visitor, there is an adventure playground – and a toy museum.
Penshurst Place has featured in TV and film productions for many years, including Anne of a Thousand Days (1969) The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) Wolf Hall (2015) and Mary Queen of Scots (2018) – and even a TV advertisement for dog food.
Nr Tonbridge
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